PLA’s 306 Hospital Omits Mention of “Chairman Xi,” Indicating Loss of Influence in the Military Commission

The image shows the pediatric intensive care unit of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Xining Children's Hospital in Qinghai Province, China, on March 28, 2007. (Getty Images)

[People News] Since the CCP's Third Plenary Session in July last year, there have been numerous unusual developments within the Chinese military and the upper echelons of the CCP, sparking speculation about whether party leader Xi Jinping still holds control over military and even party power. Over the past few months, I have written several articles highlighting various pieces of evidence suggesting Xi’s weakening grip on military authority. These include the omission of references to "Xi Jinping Thought" and the "Two Establishes" during military discussions of the Third Plenary Session and the Central Military Commission (CMC) Political Work Conference, as well as the downplaying of terms like "Chairman Xi" and the "CMC Chairman Responsibility System."

On January 13, the PLA Daily and PLA online news portal published an article in their "Study of the CMC Political Work Conference" section. The article featured reflections from the Ninth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital on their studies. Like many similar reports before, this article made no mention of "Chairman Xi." Instead, it referenced the "CMC Political Work Conference" twice, emphasizing combining study with practice and improving medical support capabilities through practical efforts.

The Ninth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital was formerly the Strategic Support Force (SSF) Specialty Medical Center and before that, the General Hospital of the PLA General Armaments Department. It originated as the 514 Hospital of the Commission for Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defense (COSTIND). In 1999, it was renamed the PLA 306 Hospital, and a year later, it was designated the General Hospital of the General Armaments Department, while retaining its external name as the PLA 306 Hospital.

In 2016, during military reforms, the General Hospital of the General Armaments Department was reassigned to the SSF, becoming the "General Hospital of the Strategic Support Force" (at the division commander level). Two years later, in 2018, during the PLA-wide "General Hospital" reform, the SSF General Hospital's designation was revoked and renamed the "Strategic Support Force Specialty Medical Center," maintaining its division commander-level status.

In 2023, multiple senior officers from the Rocket Force and the SSF were implicated in scandals. In April 2024, the SSF’s designation was revoked, leaving the SSF Specialty Medical Center without a supervising higher authority. As a result, it was reassigned under the PLA General Hospital and renamed the "Ninth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital," now under the jurisdiction of the Joint Logistics Support Force.

The Joint Logistics Support Force of the Central Military Commission was established in September 2016 to provide integrated logistical and strategic operational support. It is directly under the CMC and operates at the deputy-theater command level. Its headquarters is located in Wuhan, with the Wuhan Joint Logistics Support Base serving as its primary command. It oversees five regional Joint Logistics Support Centers in Wuxi, Guilin, Xining, Shenyang, and Zhengzhou, which are strategically distributed across the five major theater commands: Eastern, Southern, Western, Northern, and Central.

On the day the Joint Logistics Support Force was established, Xi Jinping, as the Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), personally presented military flags to the Wuhan Joint Logistics Support Base and the Joint Logistics Support Centers in Wuxi, Guilin, Xining, Shenyang, and Zhengzhou, delivering an instructional address.

If Xi Jinping still controlled military power, it would be inconceivable for the Ninth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital to study the CMC Political Work Conference he presided over without mentioning "Chairman Xi." Conversely, this omission clearly indicates that Xi has lost his voice within the CMC.

In fact, as early as November 28 last year, a report from the PLA Daily and PLA online titled "A Certain Base of the Xining Joint Logistics Support Center Deeply Studies and Implements the Spirit of the CMC Political Work Conference" similarly failed to mention "Chairman Xi" throughout.

At that time, I analyzed this issue in an article, comparing it to the June report on the Joint Logistics Support Force studying the CMC Work Conference. The differences were stark. In the June reports, there were lavish praises of Xi's speech, such as: "Rich in profound political foresight, imbued with powerful truths, and filled with a strong sense of mission—this is a programmatic document for building the party with new-era thought and strengthening the military politically." "Interconnected, logically rigorous, richly connotative, and systematically complete—it systematically addresses major directional, fundamental, and overarching issues about the party’s leadership over the military in new-era conditions." Additionally, the reports included loyalty declarations from leaders of the Joint Logistics Support Force, featuring terms like "2442" and "Xi Jinping Thought."

However, in just a few months, these once-excessive flatteries have almost completely disappeared—even "Chairman Xi" is no longer mentioned. This is certainly not what Xi would want, as maintaining the position of "the supreme leader" is crucial in the military. The only plausible explanation is that, following Xi's stroke in July, he is no longer the top authority in the military. Instead, CMC Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia, supported by senior CCP figures, has taken control of military power. Zhang appears to be directing the armed forces to reassess their loyalties, moving away from sole allegiance to Xi. Such shifts, however, require time to take effect. I speculate that once the layers of the CCP and military fully grasp the developments at the highest levels, the hidden truth will eventually be unveiled. 

(Originally published by People News)